And Counting
by the-little-grey-cells
Summary: Some people collect stamps, others watch clouds - Wally West counts the minutes of his life... Young Justice. KF and Robin friend fic. Told from KF's point of view. Hints of pre-slash if you squint and tilt your head just right. Rated K for some references to domestic abuse. My first ever fanfic - reviews are VERY welcome :)


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's all on DC. And Columbo. And Roald Dahl**

**My first ever fanfic - reviews are VERY welcome :)**

**And Counting**

Wally West is 9 years, 4 months, 345 days old. And counting.

The first time he starts counting, Wally's flat on his back in the playground. At the time he counts 5…6…7 of his peers watching and giggling as he struggles to get up after an admittedly magnificent and definitely unprovoked punch to the face.

Later, in the nurses office he counts 10…11…12 bruises and it's not a pleasant thing to record, but there's something soothing about the act. Counting distances him from reality, distracting him just enough and by the time he's bandaged up and ready to go home, Wally West has the Counting Bug.

So the next time his father screams at his mother, Wally finds out that there are 52 ladybirds on the kitchen tablecloth.

When he walks home from school with another black eye because no-one likes "carrot-haired freaks", he realises that he passes 23 oak trees, 17 elms and 1 silver birch.

While listening to his mother cry herself to sleep, Wally counts 107 luminous stars on his ceiling, forming the Andromeda galaxy.

Counting doesn't make the bullies stop or put his dad in a good mood, but Wally finds a strange peace in the patterns that numbers bring him. This comfort – tenuous though it is – has to count for _something_.

Wally West is 10 years, 3 months, 238 days old. And counting.

He does **not** want to meet Aunt Iris' boyfriend. Adults and their relationships irritate Wally sometimes. As far as he can see, no good comes being that vulnerable with someone else – look what it's done for his parents. But Aunt Iris looks so excited – her face lights up when she talks about Barry Allen: his honesty, how he makes her laugh, how utterly hopeless he is at picking up sandwiches (personally, Wally can't see this last attribute makes Aunt Iris laugh so much. It appears to him to be a serious issue). So Wally resolves to be civil, because this guy clearly makes Iris happy – but he doesn't have to like him.

It's only when he meets Barry face to face that Wally realises there may be no option BUT to like him. Barry treats Wally like a person – not just some little kid. He tells Wally about his work, promises to take him to see the lab (He's a scientist – _so cool_) and very decently doesn't even mention the Chinese Burn Wally's sporting on his arm. Wally counts 6 laughter lines on Barry's face when he smiles and thinks that maybe, just maybe not all adults let you down.

Wally West is 11 years old, 5 months, 187 days old. And counting.

Finding out that Uncle Barry is The Flash is possibly the most mind-numbingly, jaw-droppingly, stomach-twistingly AWESOME thing that has happened ever: at the time Wally doesn't think it's possible to _stop_ grinning. He hears the real explanation of The Flash's powers – not just the rumours or the Fan Club's theories (which include radiation, alien tech, "he eats a lot of bran", "he divided by zero" and one quite frankly bizarre story involving a Rabbi, a centrifuge, an inflatable sheep and an exponential integral that Wally still shudders to think of today)- and he resolves right there and then to try it for himself.

Wally's not as subtle as he thinks or maybe Uncle Barry can just read his mind because Wally counts 48 discouraging statements ranging from "it's too dangerous" and "it's a very complex method" to "Wallace West don't you dare, you'll get yourself killed!"

But everyone knows adults worry too much.

The night he recreates The Flash 's experiment, Wally counts 5 raindrops on the window – the start of the oncoming storm.

Perfect conditions. The act itself is organised chaos – a blur in later years when Wally tries to remember more than lightning bursts and chemical explosions – but he follows the procedure with meticulous precision: just as any scientist would.

There is a moment just before he knows if it's worked when the world is quiet. Wally clenches his fist as hard as he can and he can feel his whole life _**vibrating**_ in the palm of his hand. His eleven-year-old bones and a baseball game his dad took him to when times were good. Bullies who hate red hair and sandwiches his Mom always cuts into triangles (because rectangles are _boring_). Uncle Barry giving him his own lab goggles, how Aunt Iris never asks questions but somehow **always** understands and the fact that he likes marmalade and bacon together on toast (he read it in a Roald Dahl story and Uncle Barry doesn't think it's weird).

Then the silence is gone, Wally hears a buzzing in his ears and it feels like he's come alive for the first time in his life – power surging through his entire body. The storm has ended and Central City calls to him in all its night-drenched storm-fresh glory. Wally heads to the door (his heart is pounding) turns the knob (his mind is screaming) and steps outside (his legs have never felt like this before). It feels like raw _**energy**_ has replaced the blood in his veins.

Wally RUNS.

Uncle Barry's probably going to kill him, his mother would be shocked if she knew but NOTHING feels like this – nothing is this _good_. Trees whizz by so fast even Wally can't count them - there's wind in his hair, fire in his muscles and is it any wonder that he laughs as he runs?

Wally West is 13 years, 1 month, 28 days old. And counting.

Standing next to The Flash in Gotham City, Wally counts his life in seconds – desperately trying to calm down.

_1 Mississippi…2 Mississippi…3 Mississippi…4_

2 years as Kid Flash and Wally's fought countless bad guys, saved Central City multiple times and run endless miles.

But standing in this unfamiliar city, even with his mentor by his side, brings on an anxiety he doesn't usually let himself feel. Wally may know heroes but he's about to meet The Godammned Batman – and Gotham's Dark Knight is in a league of his own.

And then there's his "sidekick".

Wally isn't sure what to expect from Batman's tiny pre-pubescent protégée. Arrogance? Kindness? Gloominess or laughs? There must be a reason that Robin wears such a brightly coloured costume when both Batman and Gotham look like they've been fashioned from pure darkness and despair.

Wally doesn't dare form hopes – 11 year olds are irritating at the best of times (he remembers) and The Boy Wonder's got gadgets, a utility belt and "super stealthy stealth powers". All Wally's got is a costume Uncle Barry helped him make.

Somehow he and The Boy Wonder end up alone together on a rooftop – away from the main action. It makes no sense whatsoever: Uncle Barry may make him follow a bedtime but in the field The Flash treats him as an equal - never tries to forcibly keep Wally from a fight. Batman's had Robin beating on Gotham's underworld since he was 8. Wally thinks the whole situation stinks of match-making but he knows Uncle Barry will never admit to anything. And Batman probably thinks friendship is frivolous (it distracts from JUSTICE).

So it's just the two of them and the silence is awkward in a way that is painfully particular to adolescent boys. Wally counts the lit windows in the buildings that impose on Gotham's skyline to pass the time. He gets to 82 before he can no longer ignore how antsy he feels. Sitting still doesn't suit Kid Flash - he wants to move, to run, dance the polka, take up dressage, do _**something**_. A little depressed, he looks over at Robin – expecting a silent, well-behaved statue: "Batman Junior" perhaps – enough to bring a single tear to The Dark Knight's stoic eye. Instead, he sees The Boy Wonder walking on his hands and…Sweet Gregor Mendel how did he do that flip!? Wally can't help himself:

"Dude, that was AWESOME!"

Robin seems startled, grins for a second and then silence falls again. By now Wally's desperate to know this kid better and is searching for something, anything to break the ice. He racks his head for jokes, stories, thoughts and when he opens his mouth what comes out is:

"You know, I have exactly 23 whorls in the fingerprint of my right thumb."

Wally freezes and mentally curses his brain, his insanity and the fact that he's a ginger-haired freak and God, why can't he just be normal? Robin probably thinks he's an idiot and why did he ever think he could be a hero and hold up is the kid… smiling? He's going to reply…

"Do you ever wait two weeks to talk about something cool that happened, just 'cos you like to use the word 'fortnight'?"

Robin laughs a little nervously and Wally laughs back because actually, that's quite an interesting thought. Edgy laughter gives way to all out belly laughs and 20 minutes later Wally knows why elephants are awesome, the finer points of cartwheels (he'll practice later), the sheer brilliance of detective shows ("What do you mean you prefer cartoons!? You know what you are KF? You're a philistine. That's right, I know the fancy words!") and that The Boy Wonder loves peanut butter, banana and raisin sandwiches (seen on Columbo and agreed to be every bit as Not Weird as marmalade and bacon on toast). Wally's kind of disappointed when their mentors return but by this time he's got a secret communicator hidden in his glove. He waves to Robin, makes a terrible fool of himself tripping over his words when he tells Batman goodbye and he can hear The Boy Wonder's ridiculous laugh echoing through Gotham as he and The Flash race home.

And just like that Wally West has a new best friend.

Wally is 14 years, 10 months, 338 days old. And counting.

Wally takes a sick sort of pride in how the team reacts when the extra-terrestrials show their might. Nobody flinches as League member after League member falls: mentors, idols, teachers and loved ones disappearing before their eyes. Wally himself doesn't even blink when he sees Aunt Iris' final broadcast – though it takes enormous force of will to stop himself reaching for Dick as they watch Batman vaporised.

Losing Artemis and Aqualad, however, Wally feels like he's lost a couple of his own limbs and yet each time, all he can think is :"Thank God it wasn't Dick."

The guilt that repeated thought brings him is almost overwhelming. In fact, Wally thinks it's damn lucky the ray's a transporter and his mind's betrayal won't matter when he brings them all back. He'll do it – he _**has**_ to.

It seems like the most natural thing in the world for Robin to take charge and Wally falls in line without a second thought. Robin will lead them to victory – will help Wally get his loved ones back. He knows it. He KNOWS.

So he's more than slightly shocked when he realises that Dick always knew it would come to this – that there was no way the others could be alive, that they were here for destruction not a rescue mission. Hell, Dick probably even realised it was practically suicidal. Wally always knew that being Kid Flash meant there was a risk of dying before his time – but it's never stared him in the face before. Even if M'gann and Martian Manhunter make it out alive, there's no way he and Dick can outrun the explosion. Part of him thinks he should be angry at Dick for putting him in this position, for hiding the truth – but he has to admit he feels kind of honoured.

There's no needs for words in the end – the slight nod Dick gives him before they make the futile dash for their lives speaks volumes – their friendship and trust – a legacy of almost 2 years that feels like an eternity

Wally last thought is that the exact count doesn't matter. They are both far, far too young.

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Living must have its advantages but Wally's damned if he can see them right now.

The aftermath of the virtual mission is **brutal**. The day after they waken, the team is little more than sheer emotional wreckage – shattered illusions, fractured psyches, and the disturbing, all-consuming grief that only comes when you mourn not another but yourself.

Dick won't look anyone in the eye and it breaks Wally's heart to see how his hands shake. He has no idea how they'll pull together now – how they'll be a team again, but he knows they will.

It seems like they'll never pull together, never again be the team they once were.

But Wally knows these are ridiculous notions. They WILL be a team again, they WILL recover, rise again. They are heroes, they put the world before themselves and they will not allow this to break them.

Because heroes have no such luxury.

Wally takes a deep breath:

Today Wally West is 14 years, 10 months, **339** days old.

And still counting.


End file.
